The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-16
A RACE OF NoNDEsCRIPTs.
me Queer Tribe that Exists Within
twenty-five Miles of New York.

The Queer Tribe that Exists Within
twenty-five Miles of New York.
From the Netc York World.
Within twenty-five miles of New York
city, In the range known as the Closter
Mountains, in Bergen county, N. j., lives,
or rather exists, a tribe of nondescripts
known to the denizens of the surrounding
baliwicks as the jackson Whites" So far
as can be ascertained, these people have no
other name, and as to its derivation even
the Oldest inhabitant kens not. The home of
the tribe is in the densest part of the noun
talns, and within short walk of Englewood
and for the precarious existence they
enjoy the jackson Whites forage literally
on the farmers of the last mentioned place
and Closter, Demarest, Tenahy, Norwood
ana other nelghborlng villages, and some
Tunes wander over the State line into
Andreville, alias Tappan When walking
is good he occasionally watts his undesired
presence into Hackensack. He is seldom,
however, seen in the County Seat" unless
court is sitting, and then he generally comes
over at the earnest invitation of some viii
iage constable, who always appears SO fear
ful OF losing him that he either adorns him
with bracelets or secures him to the bottom
OF the farm buggy with ropes.
The jackson Whites are for the most part
understood, and their complexion is cross
between that of a last years dishclout and
that OF mauve mule. They have banjo
mead features, queer eyes and hair that
might be like that of the Caucausian if it
could be introduced TO comb. They speak
fair English and good Jersey Dutch, :" and
ENTHUSIASTICALLY pay their debts. In their
strawberries and other fruit are the princi-
pal articles of commerce Of the jackson
White. In the winter time he becomes a
huntsman, and the rabbits and squirrels are
his especial game. These he dlsposes of for
their value in liquor, and when he
can't get squirrels or rabbits he
raises chickens by vandalizing the
nearest poultry yards. Once in awhile
jackson White SO far forgets himself as to
work little. He is a firm believer in
woman's rights, however, and will never
permit himself to be SO ungallant as to work
If any of his wives are about. In the har-
vest season the women of the tribe can be
seen engaged in the hay, oat, wheat, corn,
rye, buckwheat pea, tomato, turnip or DO
tato fields OF Bergen county, while their
male friends hold down the top-rails of the
adjoining fences earnestly awaiting the ar
rival of pay day. Then they visit the near
est village inn, and men and women alike
flock about the bars In many cases the
Any farmer in Bergen county will tell
you that, although he has known of the ex-
istence of the jackson Whites ever since he
was old enough to know of the existence of
anybody, he knows as little of their mode
of living as he does of that of South Sea
islander. For the purpose of ascertaining
something of this life the writer made the
trip to the mountains where reside these
queer beings. Closter is just nineteen miles
from Jersey City, on the northern branch of
the New York, Lake Erie and Western
railroad, and was formerly known as Clos
ter City, to distinguish it from another Clos
ter couple of miles down street. 1t boasts
of several stores, barroom, a couple of
churches, 1000 inhabitants and about A.
900, 600 dogs. The virgin end of the Hack
ensack river lonfs lazily through the suburbs
of the village on it's way toward the Hack
ensack jail. 1t isn't very wide at this point
and one can jump across it in two jumps 1t
isntvery damp either, and in the dry season
person can stand in it without getting his
feet wet Away over in the dim distance
are the Closter Mountains. They were I'M
canny, dismal-looking, spooky mountains
even on this bright June day. By climbing
the mountain high over a half -trodden path
and through brake, briar. bush and bram-
BILE, an abode that resembles a dog house,
with an inverted coal-shute stop, was finally
reached. Gentle knocks, and the accommo-
dating and hospitable door tumbles inward
and discloses the contents of the ramshackle
habitation. 1t swaTms with dogs of all
sizes and descriptions. The animals having
been quoted by rough voice, the proprie-
tor of the voice energies from his kennel.
'Well! watcher wantP comes from vel
low-visaged individual, who has not enough
clothing on to wad gun.
The writer produced his bottle, and this
served as the best introduction. The Jack
son White became friendly and offered to
pilot the visitor through the village, or
rather shantyage. A peep inside his hut
children in all degrees of age, size, dirt and
decollete.
"An your familyr' was asked.
He misinterpreted the question. "Not
all :" he said, 1.-TWO of ems down in the will
lage washin'."
3Your sisters, or daughtersr'
"Humph! my wimmen-them three
pointing to the adults. "Tothers my
kids
How many wives have you"
Give now, this summer, so far; III mebbe
have mo, mebbe less, fo' summers over"
What is the cause of the rise and fall in
the matrimonial marketW
Cant tell much bot wimmen. Some
times they takes likin' e me, m sometimes
fur some un else. KANT place no pend
ence on 'em. They'm queer lot, wimmen
isl
At this point in the interview a half-nude
girl, probably Is years of age, came out.
"She's your wifef
"Nixey Darter"
The Young woman, who, with a little soap,
might have been decidedly pretty, was
nursing little one
mot 'xactly mar'd," said the Jackson
White, "but lives with Teller down the
slope. He's got mon he wants now. He'll
take her back agin when he gets tired of
tothers.n
Are all the men as well fixed for families
1Somes good, some wuss."
"How do you support themT
He looked as if he pitied the inquirer's I'M
sophisticatedness.
They wuck. hain't got time"
"Nvhat do you dor
Sometimes hunt, sometimes fish, some
times loaf"
(which do you like bestm
"Oh, / take it as it come. Hain't par
tickler!"
All through this rude region the same
manner Of living appeared TO exist As
near as could be judged, there were about
POO people in the settlement, but none OF
them were such as one would care to SIT
alongside Of in street car or invite out to
an evening party. Poverty reigned SUI
preme, If dirt weren't counted, and all APP